Liturgical Calendar

Saint of the day

Sts. Simon and Jude (1st century)

The two Apostles we celebrate today are Simon the Zealot and Judas, the son of James. Zealots were members of a Jewish nationalist group who wanted to bring down Roman rule. Judas is normally referred to as Jude in English, to distinguish him from Judas Iscariot. Other than their names, there are no direct references to Simon and Jude in the rest of the Bible. Though they are not famous Apostles, Jesus called them and must have loved them—just as he does you. (Taken from "Good News Day by Day: Bible Reflections for Teens.")

Reflection

Many of us will not become celebrities. However, that does not make who we are and the work that we do any less important. Saints Simon and Jude were not as famous as the rest of the Twelve Apostles, but that didn't mean that Jesus loved them any less. Take a few minutes to contemplate the fact that, even though you may never be famous, Jesus still loves you and is calling you to great things.

Prayer

Holy One, we thank you today for the Simons and the Judes of the world. They are not the stars or the popular heroes, but they remain loyal and are good followers. They are an essential part of your Reign here on earth. (Taken from "Good News Day by Day: Bible Reflections for Teens.")

Meditations

Meditation for Gospel

A crowd of sighted people followed Jesus, but only Bartimaeus, a blind beggar by the roadside, recognizes Jesus's true identity as the Messiah; in fact, the crowd tries to keep Bartimaeus from proclaiming the true identity of Jesus, the "Son of David." But, in faith, Bartimaeus defies those trying to silence him, and when called, throws off his cloak, a cloak that a blind man might never find again. He knows, in his faith, that responding to Jesus is more important than a cloak is to a poor, blind beggar. What is there for us to learn from the story of Bartimaeus? If we recognize the true identity of Jesus in faith and are persistent in calling upon Jesus, we should not be afraid to give up our comforts to follow him; Jesus will hear us. These encounters with Jesus are opportunities for us to express our faith more deeply, making the task of following Jesus much easier. We should not be shy about proclaiming our belief in Jesus as the one sent by God to save the world. Just as Bartimaeus was an exemplar of faith in Jesus in his day, we are called to be exemplars today.(Taken from "Youth Engaging Scripture: Diving into the Sunday Gospels")